Hawaii unemployment rate remains at 6.4 percent

Hawaii’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.4 percent in July from June on a seasonally adjusted basis, the state reported today.

There were 40,950 people looking for work in July, down from 41,500 in June, according to the report from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Even with the decline in the number of unemployed the jobless rate held steady because the number of people employed also fell, shrinking the overall workforce.

Nationwide, the U.S. unemployment rate rose to 8.3 percent in July from 8.2 percent in June. State and U.S. unemployment data are adjusted for seasonal variations, such as teachers temporarily leaving the workforce for summer break.

The unemployment rate is derived largely from a telephone survey of households. A separate survey of businesses showed that the number of non-farm jobs in the Hawaii economy rose by a net 2,800 in July from June. Within job categories the biggest increase was in professional and business services, which added 1,600 positions. The construction industry added another 800 jobs, according to the report.